Imagine having a plane just disappear for 13 years—that’s exactly what happened with a Boeing 737 belonging to Air India, which recently resurfaced in a parking lot at Kolkata airport.
This Boeing 737-200 cargo plane was retired from service in 2012 and simply slipped off the radar. The airline had no idea where it was, and for a decade, it continued collecting parking fees, sending bills to Air India.
Initially, Air India disputed the charges, claiming they had no record of the plane, registered as VT-EHH, being parked there at all. However, this uncanny situation shifted when the airport reached out formally, requesting that Air India find a way to move the aircraft.
Air India’s CEO, Campbell Wilson, confronted this unusual oversight in a message to employees, which has gained a bit of attention. He humorously noted, “While it’s not uncommon to dispose of old aircraft, this specific case was unique since we didn’t even realize we owned it until now!”
Wilson further stated, “It vanished from our records over the years and only came to light when Kolkata Airport informed us of its existence in a secluded parking bay. After confirming it was indeed ours, we’ve now taken care of it, effectively cleaning out another forgotten item from our records.”
It turns out that the aircraft was lost amidst various structural changes within the airline. It originally flew with Indian Airlines and became part of Air India following the merger in 2007. Later, it was modified for cargo use and even rented out to India Post, only to eventually be retired.
According to reports from Tribune India, Wilson indicated that the Boeing had consistently “fallen off” internal logs, particularly during Air India’s privatization in 2022, which meant it wasn’t listed on crucial transfer documents. It’s not uncommon for such assets to become neglected, especially when they no longer operate.
Aviation experts are commonly puzzled by a situation like this. After all, keeping track of aircraft is usually a priority for airlines since non-operational planes generate costs. John Strickland, head of JLS Consulting, remarked to the Telegraph that with rigorous regulatory checks, it’s difficult to fathom an airline completely misplacing a plane, as maintenance records and key details are tightly managed.
The Boeing 737-200 model, launched in the late 60s, has been obsolete in passenger service for a long time. Although the aircraft may not hold significant resale value, certain components, including its Pratt & Whitney engines, still have potential for reuse. Notably, this was the sole retired Air India plane sold with its engines intact.
Kolkata airport successfully retrieved about Rs10 million (approximately £83,362) in outstanding parking fees, with Air India agreeing to settle their balance. The plane was finally moved on November 14 and is now headed to Bengaluru for training purposes in ground engineering. The parking spot it occupied is set to be utilized for building one of the new hangars planned at the airport.
A spokesperson at Kolkata airport mentioned that VT-EHH was the 14th abandoned aircraft cleared in the past five years, highlighting broader issues related to unclaimed aircraft and ambiguous ownership matters.
